We saw Taken the other night. Brent had emailed me the review asking if the movie interested me. Silly man! Liam Neeson and explosions? Of course!

It was the most absorbing movie I’ve seen in a long time. I often get distracted in movies, or become deeply aware that I’m in a theater, watching a movie. This particular movie induced the kind of altered state of consciousness usually reserved for reading, in my world.

Other people can do a much better job of explaining the appeal of the mayhem, the pathos and pull of the scenario, the enchantment of the movie. Go see it.

But. (You knew there had to be a but, right?)

I’ve been haunted since I saw it. Liam Neeson’s character raises absolute hell to save his kid. No question that is something understandable. What was disturbing for me was the way he plowed right on past pretty much everyone else’s kid, also in need of rescue.

When will we get beyond our own little view? When will we realize that they are all our children? That the victimization is never only business, never justifiable to protect one nuclear family?